Have you noticed any difference between a Korean person writing English and a Native person writing English? A Korean person writing in English often brings unique characteristics influenced by their native language (Korean). In contrast, a native English speaker typically follows English’s nuances and creative expressions more naturally. Here’s a breakdown of the key differences:
a breakdown of the key differences between a Korean and a Native writing English
1. Literal vs. Contextual Expression
- Korean writers may translate expressions or phrases from Korean directly into English. This often results in literal translations that may sound slightly formal or unusual to native speakers.
- Example: A Korean writer might say, “I will do my best so you won’t feel regret.” (a direct influence from Korean phraseology) instead of the native expression, “I’ll do my best, and I hope you won’t regret it.”
- Native English speakers rely more on idiomatic or contextual expressions that sound natural in everyday conversation.
- Example: Instead of saying, “It cannot be helped,” a native speaker might say, “That’s just how it is,” or “There’s nothing we can do.”
2. Sentence Structure and Word Order
- Korean is a subject-object-verb (SOV) language, while English is subject-verb-object (SVO).
- Korean writer: “The cake, I ate it.”
- Native English speaker: “I ate the cake.”
This influence may also result in longer or more complex sentence structures, as Korean allows sentence elements to be arranged more flexibly than English.
3. Formality and Politeness
- Korean culture significantly emphasizes honorifics and formality, which often carries over into English writing.
- Korean writer: “I kindly request your presence at the meeting.”
- Native English speaker: “I’d love for you to join the meeting.”
This can sometimes make Korean writing in English sound overly formal or polite, even in casual contexts.
4. Creative Point of View (P.O.V.)
- Korean writers may use metaphors and imagery rooted in Korean culture, nature, or traditional concepts.
- Example: A Korean writer might use “like a cherry blossom falling in spring” as a metaphor for fleeting beauty, which is a deeply meaningful cultural image in Korea.
- Native English speakers might use metaphors or references from Western culture or everyday life, like “like a shooting star” for something quick and fleeting.
5. Use of Articles and Tenses
- Articles (a, an, the) are often omitted or misused by Korean writers because Korean doesn’t use them in the same way as English.
- Korean writer: “I went to park yesterday.”
- Native English speaker: “I went to the park yesterday.”
- Tense usage can also differ, as Korean places less emphasis on perfect tenses.
- Korean writer: “I have studied English for five years, and now I study.”
- Native English speaker: “I’ve been studying English for five years, and I’m still studying.”
6. Emotional Tone and Nuance
- Korean writers might convey emotions more indirectly, reflecting Korean communication styles, which often value subtlety and harmony.
- Korean writer: “I feel a little discomfort about the situation.”
- Native English speaker: “I’m uncomfortable with the situation.”
- Additionally, Korean writers may prefer passive voice more frequently to avoid directness, which can sound too strong or impolite in Korean culture.
This article is written by:
Eunjin Kim
With a background in art and design, driven by her passion for artistic expression and cultural promotion, Eunjin is on a mission to shine a spotlight on the vibrant heritage and irresistible charm that South Korea has to offer.
